The strategic projection platform slowly rotated and glowed.
The figures of Primarchs like Guilliman, Lion, Corax, and Jaghatai Khan stood at each corner of the control panel, examining the various strategic plans submitted by Alex.
For some reason, they all tacitly acknowledged Alex's leadership and followed his commands.
The main reason was also their inability to command the vast Imperium of Man; the Imperium's current development relied entirely on the beacon network provided by Alex.
Once lost, the Imperium of Man would instantly collapse, plunge into eternal darkness, and be completely divided by traitors and Xenos.
"By drawing energy from the Warp, the entire human race can ascend. Saint, you are very much like my father."
Jaghatai Khan's tone was calm.
As the Eagle of Chogoris, he possessed not only keen eyes but also sharp intuition.
With just one glance, he realized the terror of the Aether Phase Engine.
It would drain the entire Warp, leading to the collapse of the Reality, and this project would inevitably provoke a furious backlash from the Chaos Gods, with a massive war between the two sides being highly probable.
"The Gods will not let this go." Lion reached out and swiped the projection, "The depletion of the Warp is no different than cutting off their roots."
"This is the last resort." Alex looked at the Primarchs.
"If human civilization ceases to exist, then this galaxy will have no meaning."
"Is the situation that bad?" Sanguinius's soul was glowing.
Although he had recovered the fragmented soul on the Vengeful Spirit, his resurrection still required preparation.
Through Alex's efforts, the Laughing God persuaded the avatar of Death to lend his power of Death for Sanguinius's resurrection.
Just waiting for a suitable moment, the The Great Angel would be able to return to the Reality, becoming another returning Primarch of the Imperium.
"This universe is rotten from its roots; all order will inevitably slide into collapse."
Alex looked helpless.
The Chaos Gods were already troublesome enough.
But he found traces of ancient extraterrestrial gods from some clues.
Beyond the galaxy existed even more terrifying beings.
They were more formidable than the Chaos Gods.
They were beings that existed since the beginning of the universe, possessing inconceivable power.
Once these ancient gods interfered with the galaxy, humanity would have no chance of winning.
Only by using the Aether Phase Engine to ascend could there be a glimmer of hope.
"To solve it completely, we must put ourselves in a desperate situation to find life, and only by restarting this universe can there be a chance of survival."
"The Aether Phase Engine is just getting started; it's uncertain when it will be officially applied! Everyone doesn't need to worry too much; let's first resolve the current issues."
Alex brought the topic back to the Haunted Dead Zone.
"I will personally lead this matter." Lion spoke.
"No." Alex shook his head, "You must guard the Imperium's dark side. Currently, although there is the Webway, the connection between Terra and the Imperium's dark side is still very fragile."
"If one day the Webway falls and Terra loses contact with the Imperium's dark side, someone will need to guard it to protect the Imperium from being invaded by traitors and Xenos."
"Let me do it." Guilliman said, "The Indomitus Crusade is already under my command, and it is best for me to deal with the Silent King."
Guilliman, who had awakened his Avenger of Souls essence, possessed combat power no less than any other Primarch.
Even when facing the Silent King directly, he would not lose.
"You need to assist me with political affairs; this task should be given to Corax and Jaghatai Khan." Alex hesitated for a moment, then looked at Corax and Jaghatai Khan, "I wonder if the two Primarchs are willing?"
"I have no interest in leading troops anymore." Corax said, "But I will assist the expeditionary force and help them deal with the Necrons."
Jaghatai Khan also nodded, "I also don't like being constrained. I don't even want to take over the White Scars anymore."
"Having you two guarding is enough." Alex said, "Now that Imperial communication is convenient, if an unsolvable crisis arises, we can still summon God Chosen. As long as we proceed steadily and don't rush recklessly, we have an overwhelming advantage."
After discussing how to resolve the Haunted Dead Zone, the meeting ended.
The communication devices were turned off, and the Primarchs' projections disappeared.
Alex stayed in the dark communication room for a while, then walked out and asked Cortana to open the passage to Mars.
With the roar of the beacon device, the environment around Alex twisted, and then he arrived at the space station in Mars orbit.
The Savants and Priests responsible for maintaining and guarding the beacon device all bowed to him.
As the Emperor's envoy and the avatar of the Lord of Myriad Machines, Alex's status on Mars was even higher than that of the Fabricator-General.
Taking a transport shuttle to the surface, Alex, accompanied by Cortana, easily found the entrance to the underground ruins and walked in.
The labyrinth that could stop ordinary people could not stop Alex.
He easily met the jailer, Dahlia Cecilla.
This genius girl from ten thousand years ago, under the blessing of the Emperor's power, had not shown any signs of aging despite the passage of time.
"Saint."
Dahlia had never been outside, but the familiar aura on Alex made her realize that he was the Emperor's envoy.
"You've worked hard." Alex nodded, "I want to see the Void Dragon."
"This way." Dahlia respectfully led Alex into the long-sealed ancient ruins.
During the feudal era of human civilization, fragments of the Void Dragon fell to Earth.
It was defeated by the Emperor, who was then playing a knightly role, and imprisoned on Mars.
To ordinary people at that time, Mars was still a mythical concept.
But some organizations that held the secrets of the Warp had already begun to travel to various planets using the remaining Webway and rifts.
The Emperor learned much from those organizations and also acquired knowledge of these secret passages and rifts, thus sealing the Void Dragon on Mars.
The Void Dragon had no physical form, appearing as a multidimensional superposition.
Mortals who looked directly at it would be harmed.
To mortals, a being like the Void Dragon was no different from a god.
However, its multidimensional form had no effect on Alex.
"Help it reshape its body." Alex said to Cortana, who was following behind him.
"Yes, Master." Cortana nodded happily.
With her actions, the Void Dragon, which was originally just a mass of light, gained a body shaped from active nanometal.
The Void Dragon's appearance was very similar to the Aether Dragon from Alex's Stellaris.
"Ant." The Void Dragon spoke in human language, filled with contempt and resentment, "By what means did you deceive my kin to willingly obey your command?"
"Naturally, by my wisdom and power." Alex shamelessly boasted, "Also, don't call me an ant anymore. I am the only one who can decide whether you will be imprisoned forever."
"You don't want to be trapped here until the end of the universe, do you?"
"You can't do that." The Void Dragon said, "My life is infinite, and the Imperium of Man will eventually decay. When your story ends and new races rise, who will remember this seal?"
"Then you have a long wait." Alex was very patient, "I was originally thinking of giving you a chance to get revenge on that fellow Szarekh."
"You know, it was he who ordered you to be shattered into pieces."
"It seems you are unwilling and prefer to suffer in this dark dimensional space."
"What did you say?" The Void Dragon's tone changed, "That despicable traitor Szarekh has returned from beyond the galaxy?"
After the Void Dragon was shattered, it was sealed in different places.
However, as time passed, some fragments broke the seal.
When it tried to seek revenge on Szarekh, it unexpectedly learned of the Necrons's slumber and his departure, which infuriated it, forcing it to vent its anger on several slumbering Necrons dynasties.
The Void Dragon and those Necrons had a fierce battle, completely destroying their tombs.
But it also paid a huge price, being severely wounded by the enemy's weapons, its body almost shattered.
It drifted to Earth and was eventually captured by the Emperor and imprisoned here.
For the Void Dragon, everything else could be abandoned; only Szarekh had to die.
"Szarekh has returned, and he has also opened the Haunted Dead Zone." Alex said, "I want to give you a chance."
"As long as you swear allegiance to me, I will grant you freedom."
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" The Void Dragon laughed in a human tone, its eyes burning with flames fixed on Alex, "You hope to get my help, but you say it's out of pity for me."
"I have to say, you are very cunning. But you underestimate the wisdom of a C'tan. I will help you deal with Szarekh, but I will not pledge allegiance to you."
"Then there's nothing to discuss." Alex did not hesitate, turning to leave.
His movements were so smooth that the Void Dragon's heart trembled.
Ah!! No!!
He actually just left like that? At least try to bargain?
"Perhaps, we can talk again." The Void Dragon lowered its posture slightly.
"No need to talk. You just need to consider whether to accept my terms." Alex said, "I have a C'tan by my side. Perhaps she doesn't know much about ancient technology, but I believe in her learning ability."
"Don't worry, Master. I only need to put in a little effort, and I'll surely master those ancient knowledge easily." Cortana quickly stepped forward to state, proudly straightening her back.
Void Dragon: "......"
He wondered if he had been confined for too long, causing him to hallucinate.
He actually heard his kin call the human in front of him 'Master'??
"How can you consider a humble short-lived species as your Master?"
"You are a noble C'tan, the Master of the Reality."
"He should be calling you Master, not you calling him Master."
The Void Dragon was furious; it tried to pounce on Alex, but then several psychic chains appeared in the void, binding it tightly, preventing it from making contact.
"She doesn't have your inherited memories." Alex had Cortana stand behind him, then looked at the Void Dragon, "From birth, she has been bound to me, sharing life and death. My relationship with her is much better than what you call 'kin'."
"When you were killing each other and devouring each other, I didn't see you treating each other as kin; rather, you treated each other as enemies."
The Void Dragon stared at Alex.
Bringing up such ancient matters left it momentarily without a rebuttal.
Alex and the Void Dragon stared at each other.
The Void Dragon felt that this human was even more troublesome than the one who defeated him back then, so he turned his head away and looked at Cortana next to him.
"You are still in your infancy? It seems a C'tan split off a seed and gave birth to you, but did not fully nurture you."
"Only in recent years have you been cultivated and become a companion to this human."
"Cortana has nothing to do with today's matter." Alex took a step, shielding Cortana behind him, "Cooperation? Or be trapped here forever?"
"Do you swear that I will get what I want and can personally tear Szarekh apart?" The Void Dragon made a condition.
Alex nodded, "I swear you will get what you want."
"Then I will serve you, human, until you die of old age." The Void Dragon lowered its head, made of metal, as a sign of submission.
"Very well, I will send you to the Haunted Dead Zone."
Alex wasted no more words. After inscribing restraint runes within the Void Dragon's body, he brought it and Dahlia out of the dimensional space.
Alex could use the power and wisdom of Cortana and the Emperor.
The restraint runes he inscribed could absolutely control the Void Dragon, making it unable to disobey his commands.
Dahlia was very excited to see the light of day again.
To guard the Void Dragon, she had not left the prison for ten thousand years.
Everything from her past had changed drastically.
Her former companions had long turned to dust, leaving no trace.
But her duty was not over; Alex asked her to continue supervising the Void Dragon.
Lest it do anything detrimental to humanity.
After letting Dahlia tour around for a bit, Alex had her take the Void Dragon to the Haunted Dead Zone battlefield to quickly deal with the Silent King.
......
Meanwhile, on the other side of the galaxy,
The resurrected Little Alpaca gathered the members of Combat Roses and launched an attack on Illuminor Szeras.
After a cataclysmic battle, the Tomb Pyramid was destroyed, and the Players suffered heavy casualties.
Szeras limped away using a dimensional portal.
Of course, before leaving, he left a harsh threat.
"This matter will never be over, human. Remember my words today; soon, you will know how terrifying my wrath truly is."
"Not only you, but even your race will suffer a terrible nightmare."
News of Illuminor Szeras's defeat and escape quickly reached the Silent King Szarekh.
As the last King of the Necron, he was not worried about humanity's counterattack.
"Only the Old Ones and the C'tan could defeat us, and now, both are gone."
"Humanity's attempt to stop a chariot with a mantis's arm will absolutely be the most foolish thing they have ever done."
"Prepare yourselves; the era of the Necron will descend once more. This time, we will truly rule the galaxy, and no one can stop us."
The Silent King Szarekh did not speak.
Instead, his personal guards conveyed these two sentences to his generals.